Method for platinum group metals recovery from spent catalysts

Abstract

A method for recovery of platinum group metals from a spent catalyst is described. The method includes crushing the spent catalyst to obtain a catalyst particulate material including particles having a predetermined grain size. The method includes subjecting the catalyst particulate material in the reaction zone at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time period in contact with solid chlorine-containing material and solid silicon-containing material to obtain volatile platinum group metal-containing chloride product, and cooling to convert the product into solid phase platinum group metal-containing materials.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for recovery of platinum group metals from a spent catalyst, the method comprising:
 obtaining a catalyst particulate material comprising platinum group metals from said spent catalyst wherein said particulate material has a predetermined grain size; 
 mixing said catalyst particulate material with a solid chlorine-containing material and a solid silicon-containing material in a reaction zone; 
 subjecting said mixture in said reaction zone to a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time period; thereby reacting said platinum group metals with said solid chlorine-containing material and said solid silicon-containing material; and provide a volatile platinum group metal-containing chloride product in said reaction zone; 
 treating said reaction zone with air, O 2  or combination thereof; 
 cooling said volatile platinum group metal-containing chloride product in a cooling zone to convert said volatile platinum group metal-containing chloride product into a solid phase platinum group metal-containing materials. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said solid chlorine-containing material comprises at least one chloride salt. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein said chloride salt is selected from the group consisting of: alkali metal chlorides, alkaline earth metals chlorides, aluminum chloride, ammonium chloride and any combination thereof. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said solid silicon-containing material comprises at least one silica-containing material. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein said silica-containing material is selected from the group consisting of: pure silica, silica-containing sand, silica-containing waste and any combination thereof. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said silica-containing material has a predetermined grain size in the range of 5 microns to 5 mm. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a surface area of said silicon-containing material is in the range of 50 m 2 /gr to 400 m 2 /gr. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said predetermined grain size of said catalyst particulate material is in the range of 30 microns to 200 mm. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said solid chlorine-containing material is in the range of 50 gram to 2 kilogram per each kilogram of the spent catalyst. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said solid silicon-containing material is in the range of 50 gram to 2 kilogram per each kilogram of the spent catalyst. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein oxygen content in said oxygen, air or combination thereof is in the range of 0.1 weight percent to 98 weight percent. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said predetermined temperature in the reaction zone is in the range of 300 degrees Celsius to 1200 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said predetermined time period for heating said mixture is in the range of 10 min to 300 min. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of obtaining of a catalyst particulate material comprising platinum group metals comprises crushing said spent catalyst to obtain a catalyst particulate material.